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WHO set to declare India free of polio WHO set to declare India free of polio
(35 minutes later)
India is on course to be formally declared free of polio this year, marking a milestone in global health.India is on course to be formally declared free of polio this year, marking a milestone in global health.
The country's last case of the polio virus was detected on 13 January 2011 in a two-year-old girl in West Bengal. Three years without any new cases means India can be declared polio-free.The country's last case of the polio virus was detected on 13 January 2011 in a two-year-old girl in West Bengal. Three years without any new cases means India can be declared polio-free.
"We give huge credit to the government … It makes us extremely proud and highly responsible for having helped the government to reach this incredible achievement," India's World Health Organisation representative, Nata Menabde, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation."We give huge credit to the government … It makes us extremely proud and highly responsible for having helped the government to reach this incredible achievement," India's World Health Organisation representative, Nata Menabde, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Menabde said the WHO would officially declare India polio-free by the end of March, when the legal process for certification was completed.Menabde said the WHO would officially declare India polio-free by the end of March, when the legal process for certification was completed.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that can be prevented only by immunisation. If polio is gone from India, the only countries where the disease is still endemic will be Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its eradication would make it the second disease to be eliminated after smallpox, which was officially defeated worldwide in 1979.Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that can be prevented only by immunisation. If polio is gone from India, the only countries where the disease is still endemic will be Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Its eradication would make it the second disease to be eliminated after smallpox, which was officially defeated worldwide in 1979.
Polio usually infects children under five when they drink contaminated water. The virus attacks the central nervous system, causing paralysis, muscular atrophy, deformation and in some cases death. Polio usually infects children under five when they drink contaminated water. The virus attacks the central nervous system, causing paralysis, muscular atrophy, deformation and, in some cases, death.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative said India had once been considered the most difficult country in which to wipe out the disease. A mass vaccination campaign involving more than one million volunteers reduced the number of cases nationally by 94% between 2009 and 2010, from 741 to 42, and down to the single case in 2011. Volunteers targeted migrant families at bus and train stations, construction sites and festivals. Some used motorcycles or trekked by foot to reach remote villages. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative said India had once been considered the most difficult country in which to wipe out the disease. A mass vaccination campaign involving more than one million volunteers reduced the number of cases nationally by 94% between 2009 and 2010, from 741 to 42, and down to the single case in 2011. Volunteers targeted migrant families at bus and train stations, construction sites and festivals. Some used motorcycles or trekked on foot to reach remote villages.
The success is due to a combination of highly motivated local workers, philanthropy, the involvement of international health bodies and the sometimes inefficient but nonetheless essential support from local government. The success is due to a combination of highly motivated local workers, philanthropy, the involvement of international health bodies and the sometimes inefficient, but nonetheless essential, support from local government.
Equally important has been the consent of local religious figures. Over the past decade one of the biggest obstacles to polio eradication in India, as in Pakistan and Nigeria, has been the resistance of poor, largely illiterate Muslim communities. When the first campaigns began in the 1990s, some local clerics in India told congregations that the vaccinations were part of a government plan, backed by the west, to make Muslim women infertile. Equally important has been the consent of local religious figures. Over the past decade, one of the biggest obstacles to polio eradication in India, as in Pakistan and Nigeria, has been the resistance of poor, largely illiterate Muslim communities. When the first campaigns began in the 1990s, some local clerics in India told congregations that the vaccinations were part of a government plan, backed by the west, to make Muslim women infertile.
By involving religious and community leaders, Indian authorities helped build support for vaccination among local families. Announcements by local imams in mosques persuaded parents to accept the polio vaccine where they otherwise may have resisted. By involving religious and community leaders, Indian authorities helped to build support for vaccination among local families. Announcements by local imams in mosques persuaded parents to accept the polio vaccine where they otherwise may have resisted.
Health officials remain concerned about the possibility of the virus entering India from neighbouring Pakistan. They have set up polio immunisation booths at the two border crossings with Pakistan, and all children who enter by road and train are being given vaccines.Health officials remain concerned about the possibility of the virus entering India from neighbouring Pakistan. They have set up polio immunisation booths at the two border crossings with Pakistan, and all children who enter by road and train are being given vaccines.
Experts said India's success had given impetus to the global fight against polio. "While the whole global eradication was stagnating, India has been the rescuer of this belief that it is possible," said Menabde. "Polio eradication is a very costly operation and so donors and partners were losing hope and patience. Now they are all very actively mobilised into channelling their efforts."Experts said India's success had given impetus to the global fight against polio. "While the whole global eradication was stagnating, India has been the rescuer of this belief that it is possible," said Menabde. "Polio eradication is a very costly operation and so donors and partners were losing hope and patience. Now they are all very actively mobilised into channelling their efforts."
There were 148 cases of polio in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan in 2013, while 224 new cases were detected in non-endemic countries such as Somalia, Syria and Kenya.There were 148 cases of polio in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan in 2013, while 224 new cases were detected in non-endemic countries such as Somalia, Syria and Kenya.
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